Pouring spout for dry product containers



Feb. 18 1969 LANAHAN 3,428,226

POURING SPOUT FOR DRY PRODUCT CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 11, 1966 INVENTOR. ARTHUR [,ZANA/WIN.

United States Patent 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This device is a spout forming attachment for cartons which serves the dual function of providing means for displacing a scored push-in portion of detergent cartons and the like having a pouring opening defined by a push-in flap along an upper edge thereof and also provides an extending spout through which the contents of the carton is directed to a point of use. A novel feature being that when the spout forming attachment is applied to a carton the inturned pushed in flap of the carton will co-operate with the spout forming device to hold the spout firmly upon the carton.

My present invention relates to dry product cartons and more particularly to a pouring spout that can be applied to cartons as now employed in the dispensing of soap powders and the like.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive pouring spout which can be applied to those cardboard cartons having the so called push-in or carton rupturing perforated outline forming an opening through which the contents of the carton may be poured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a kitchen accessory which may be applied to a carton of the type having a perforation defined fold-in flap that will provide a spout that will facilitate the pouring of the contents of the carton through the flap opening without spilling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pouring spout for a dry product carton having an in'folding pouring opening which has means in cooperation with the infolding flap that will serve to retain the spout firmly against the wall of the carton when in use.

Other objects and advantages will be in part evident to those skilled in the art and in part pointed out hereinafter in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of a carton having a conventional perforation defined push-in flap,

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side view showing my invention as applied to the carton of FIGUR 1,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective inner view of my device with the spout forming portion removed for clarity,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view partly in section showing the spout as applied to the carton of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section view taken along the central vertical plane of FIGURE 4.

With soap powder and like cartons having a so called push-in flap, the flap, because of its resilience often returns to its initial position and thus seriously interferes with the discharge of the contents from the carton and when this happens the housewife is often required to retain the push-in flap in an operating condition with the fingers of one hand while grasping the carton with the other hand. This therefore makes the pouring of soap powder and the like from such a carton very inconvenient ICc and it is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a pouring spout forming device which will overcome the above objectionable features.

In FIGURE 1, there is shown that portion of a soap powder carton designated by the numeral 10 having a push-in flap 11 defined by a semi-circular perforated score line 12 which when pushed in and displaced will open the carton so that the contents can be discharged therefrom. In this operation, however, the push-in flap 11 often refuses to remain fully pushed-in, and it interferes with the discharge of the contents from the carton. To remedy this, as shown in FIGURE 2, my invention contemplates the provision of a device designate-d generally by the numeral 13 having a carton wall engaging platelike portion 14 with a flange 15 at its top for retaining a spout 16 carried thereby in register with the opening of the carton 10 as provided by the score line 12 as shown in FIGURE 1. At this point, it should be stated that while the push-in flap 11 is here shown as of semicircular configuration, this push-in portion may take the form of a V-shaped opening.

More particularly, as shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings the platelike portion 14 with its flange 15 also carries an inturned flap displacing tongue 17 and also carton wall engaging detents 18 that function to retain a spout .16, not here shown, in alignment with the pouring outlet of the carton. This flap displacing tongue 17 is bent on an upward incline and will be found useful as a means for pushing the flap 17 inward. Along its opposite edges the tongue 17 is provided with sawtooth serrations 19 which, as will be hereinafter described, serve to lock the plate 14 with the spout 16 firmly over the pouring outline of the carton.

As shown in FIGURE 4 are the tongue 17 with its serrations 19 will operate to hold the inturned flap 11 in an elevated position and out of interfering relationship with the pouring outlet provided for when the flap 11 is pushed in as here shown.

FIGURE 5 of the drawing clearly shows the position of the spout 16 with the inturned carton push-in flap 11 of the carton fully engaged by the flap displacing tongue 17 and with the carton Wall engaging detents 18 extending into the carton and cooperating with the tongue 17 and the carton top engaging flange 15 to secure the spout 16 in operating alignment with the pouring outline of the carton.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose my invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated a specific form and arrangement, I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific form disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An attachable pouring spout for cartons of the type having a perforation outline push-in flap defining a pouring outlet, comprising a plate-like carton wall engaging member having an outer spout forming extension at one side and an oppositely projecting carton top engaging flange for aligning said spout forming extension with the pouring outlet of a carton, as defined by said push-in flap, said plate-like carton wall engaging member having a central pouring outlet opening communicating with said spout, an inturned upwardly angled tongue-like member carried by said plate-like member having means for engaging and retaining the pushed-in outlet defining flap of the carton in a raised operative pouring position, said plate-like member also having detent forming means for engagement with the wall of the carton at the sides of its 2 pouring outlet to retain said plate-like member in position upon the carton wall when said carton top engaging flange is in contact with the top of the carton.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the means carried by said inturned upwardly angled tongue-like member is in the form of serrations along its opposite edges with which the inturned flap of the carton will engage when in its upturned position.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 characterized 10 by the fact that the serrations carried by the inturned upwardly angled tongue-like member are of sawtooth configuration.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the detent forming means for engagement witht-he wallof the carton are inathe form. of oppositely disposed tongue-like portions bent inwardly from the plate-like carton wall engaging member and engaging the inner wall of the carton when the pouring spout is applied to the carton.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. 

